Lisa Marie VanBramer

Lisa Marie Colombe VanBramer was born on June 14, 1956 to Leo and Beata (Pivacek) Colombe in Schenectady, NY. She grew up in the Catholic faith and was an active member of both St. Anthony's and St. John the Evangelist's Parish. She was the oldest of two sisters. Lisa attended St. Anthony's School prior to attending Linton High School (Class of 1974) and graduating with her Bachelor's in Sociology, via academic scholarship from The College of Saint Rose in 1979. She loved learning and teaching.

Lisa also had a passion for working with people who had developmental, physical, and intellectual disabilities. She gracefully cared for disabled family members before securing employment at The Workshop Inc/Northeast Career Planning (NCP) as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and Job Coach for sheltered and community employment. She worked there as her first job out of college and loved every moment of the 31 years she worked before retiring in 2008. Lisa also loved her colleagues and spending time with her beloved clients. She was passionate about being a peacemaker in relationships and helping people become the best versions of themselves. She helped friends, family, colleagues, clients, and even passersby repair their relationships with their loved ones and meet goals they created with her exceptional communication, planning, and counseling skills. She was a gift to many at NCP and beyond.

Lisa met the love of her life, Kelvin, while working at NCP in 1979. After 4 years of committed courting, they tied the knot in 1983 with their loved ones in attendance and Lisa said “that's when life really began”. Together, they cared for Lisa's elderly parents and disabled sister, then after 6 years of trying, they gave birth to their “miracle child”, Alysabeth (“Alyssa”). Lisa often described her daughter as “her world” as well as “her successor”, and her husband as her “salvation” and “knight in shining armor”. In her marriage, she was the brains and Kelvin was the brawn, and together they made a wonderful life where their love was able to outweigh any adversity that arose before then. In her parenthood, she diligently strived to be the best mother possible and it showed. She enjoyed becoming a “second mom” to many of Alyssa's friends and a confidant to her neighbors and family friends.

Many would say that Lisa had a smile that lit up a room. She also had a vivacious laugh and an enveloping presence to her. Her daughter jokes that she could hear her mother's voice anywhere, even in the most crowded of rooms due to its potency. Lisa used her strong voice to speak up for and support those less fortunate than her. She dedicated her life to advocacy, community service, and social work and frequently urged others she met to do the same. Some of her favorite roles were teaching sign language at her daughter's elementary school, volunteering at the Law, Order, and Justice Center in Albany, and becoming a fierce advocate for multiple disabled family members and friends as they navigated the social services system in New York State. Lisa always took herself and her work very seriously, and made sure to follow through on all of her promises in her many endeavors.

But even with all her seriousness, Lisa was quite funny and had a great, playful sense of humor. Despite being seen as so social, she often kept to herself and didn't talk much about her problems. She never wanted to be a burden to others. Those closest to her knew that Lisa struggled with some demons and was courageous in conquering them. One of her largest demons was a terrible eating disorder, which she fought fearlessly and won. She lost over 300lbs and was very holistically health conscious later in life after a series of medical complications on her weight loss journey. She contributed her strength and tenacity for bettering her health to wanting to live to see her daughter (and then granddaughter) grow up.

Throughout her life, Lisa was diagnosed with a multitude of health issues that kept her mobility impaired to some degree, but that never stopped her spirit and mind from soaring, especially during retirement. It was then that Lisa volunteered at craft fairs and community events while living at Schaeffer Heights Senior Apartments in Schenectady and walked alongside her daughter on a personal development journey. Lisa prided herself in being a cycle breaker and giving her daughter a much better life than she was given by her parents. She was a first generation college graduate, caregiver, and survivor in many ways. Lisa strived for excellence in all she accomplished.

Lisa's sense of community was unmatched. She practiced the pause in hard situations and gave grace to others who did not. She met life with poise and patience and frequently reminded those around her to slow down and breathe, even though her own mind and lungs were not so healthy. Lisa always tried to help anyone who needed it and worked tirelessly on every activity she did. She looked up to her mentors, including her daughter, and strived to be like them; her dedication to emotional and spiritual growth was second to none. But most of all, Lisa cared. She loved with all of her heart and prayed for everyone she loved. She was a devout Catholic who strived to live like the Lord and accepted everyone, regardless of her differences. She always tried her best. Lisa respected other faiths and built a special relationship with God. Lisa was also grateful to live far longer than any of her other family members did; she wanted to see her family grow.

After Kelvin passed away, Lisa was lovingly cared for by her son in law, Scott, before moving to the Riverside Center for Rehab and Nursing in Castleton, NY, where she spent her final months surrounded by many compassionate staff and new friends. She supported her daughter's travel and lifestyle changes during this time and learned to thrive on her own. In turn, she became an active member of the community at Riverside but her health quickly declined. After 2 months of additional care from The Community Hospice, Lisa passed away peacefully in her sleep after a long illness. In the weeks leading up to her death, she was surrounded by her family, making memories and sharing laughter even more joyfully than before.

Lisa is predeceased by her parents, sister (Elaine F. LaMere) uncle (Larry L. LaMere), husband (Kelvin M. VanBramer), many aunts and uncles, as well as her dear friend Marguerite Anderson and her unborn twins, Mark and Michael. She is survived by her daughter and advocate Alysabeth “Alyssa” VanBramer, granddaughter, Emileigh “Emi” VanBramer Roberts, and son in law and caregiver, Scott M. Roberts. She is also survived by her friends Faithann Teetsel Amond, Hallie McKinnon, Annie LaMere, Nancy Langlie, her dear roommate Okhui, her bonus grandson, Kaiden Roberts, her “nieces” Kim, Stacy, Jordyn, and Hailee Albee, and many beloved cousins — especially Sandy and John.

A Memorial Visitation will take place on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 5:00 pm - 6:30pm, with a Time to Remember Service beginning at 6:30pm, at New Comer Cremations & Funerals, 343 New Karner Rd., Colonie NY 12205. On Thursday, October 16, 2025, a Mass of Catholic Burial will be held at 10:30am in St. John the Evangelist Church, 806 Union St., Schenectady NY. Burial will follow at Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery, 2501 Troy Schenectady Rd., Niskayuna, NY, 12309.

Lisa's family invites you to wear whatever you'd like to her funeral, not just the traditional black. To celebrate her life, we needs colors as bright as her smile. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donatations for Lisa's granddaughter's travel fund as her family prepares to go cross country in their RV.